Defining a framework model to determine total costs of managed desktops using ITIL best practices

In modern day organizations there are an increasing number of IT devices such as computers, mobile phones and printers. These devices can be located and maintained by using specialized IT management applications. Costs related to a single device accumulate from various sources and are normally categorized as direct costs like hardware costs and indirect costs such as labor costs. These costs can be saved in a configuration management database and presented to users using web based development tools such as ASP.NET. The overall costs of IT devices during their lifecycle can be ten times higher than the actual purchase price of the product and ability to define and reduce these costs can save organizations noticeable amount of money. This Master’s Thesis introduces the research field of IT management and defines a custom framework model based on Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best practices which is designed to be implemented as part of an existing IT management application for defining and presenting IT costs.

The Design of a Software Lifecycle Management Framework to a Configuration Management System

Keeping track of software assets and managing software installations in IT environments can be a hard endeavor, especially when the size and diversity of the environment grows. How to install and uninstall software efficiently and cost effectively? Are there too few or too many software licenses purchased? If installed, is the software actually in use? Software Asset Management (SAM) is a process that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization. This master’s thesis describes a special Software Lifecycle Management Framework to provide solutions to the multitude of challenges within SAM. The main objectives when designing the framework was to provide a set of tools to control the software assets during their entire lifecycle while trying to minimize the costs related to owning and managing them.

Analyzing Carbon Trade Permits in Optimization Framework

The threats caused by global warming motivate different stake holders to deal with and control them. This Master's thesis focuses on analyzing carbon trade permits in optimization framework. The studied model determines optimal emission and uncertainty levels which minimize the total cost. Research questions are formulated and answered by using different optimization tools. The model is developed and calibrated by using available consistent data in the area of carbon emission technology and control. Data and some basic modeling assumptions were extracted from reports and existing literatures. The data collected from the countries in the Kyoto treaty are used to estimate the cost functions. Theory and methods of constrained optimization are briefly presented. A two-level optimization problem (individual and between the parties) is analyzed by using several optimization methods. The combined cost optimization between the parties leads into multivariate model and calls for advanced techniques. Lagrangian, Sequential Quadratic Programming and Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm are referred to. The role of inherent measurement uncertainty in the monitoring of emissions is discussed. We briefly investigate an approach where emission uncertainty would be described in stochastic framework. MATLAB software has been used to provide visualizations including the relationship between decision variables and objective function values. Interpretations in the context of carbon trading were briefly presented. Suggestions for future work are given in stochastic modeling, emission trading and coupled analysis of energy prices and carbon permits.

RTOS Framework for Real-Time Control System

This thesis is done as a complementary part for the active magnet bearing (AMB) control software development project in Lappeenranta University of Technology. The main focus of the thesis is to examine an idea of a real-time operating system (RTOS) framework that operates in a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP) environment. General use real-time operating systems do not necessarily provide sufficient platform for periodic control algorithm utilisation. In addition, application program interfaces found in real-time operating systems are commonly non-existent or provided as chip-support libraries, thus hindering platform independent software development. Hence, two divergent real-time operating systems and additional periodic extension software with the framework design are examined to find solutions for the research problems. The research is discharged by; tracing the selected real-time operating system, formulating requirements for the system, and designing the real-time operating system framework (OSFW). The OSFW is formed by programming the framework and conjoining the outcome with the RTOS and the periodic extension. The system is tested and functionality of the software is evaluated in theoretical context of the Rate Monotonic Scheduling (RMS) theory. The performance of the OSFW and substance of the approach are discussed in contrast to the research theme. The findings of the thesis demonstrates that the forged real-time operating system framework is a viable groundwork solution for periodic control applications.

Managing through measurement : A framework for successful operative level performance measurement

The research around performance measurement and management has focused mainly on the design, implementation and use of performance measurement systems. However, there is little evidence about the actual impacts of performance measurement on the different levels of business and operations of organisations, as well as the underlying factors that lead to a positive impact of performance measurement. The study thus focuses on this research gap, which can be considered both important and challenging to cover. The first objective of the study was to examine the impacts of performance measurement on different aspects of management, leadership and the quality of working life, after which the factors that facilitate and improve performance and performance measurement at the operative level of an organisation were examined. The second objective was to study how these factors operate in practice. The third objective focused on the construction of a framework for successful operative level performance measurement and the utilisation of the factors in the organisations. The research objectives have been studied through six research papers utilising empirical data from three separate studies, including two sets of interview data and one of quantitative data. The study applies mainly the hermeneutical research approach. As a contribution of the study, a framework for successful operative level performance measurement was formed by matching the findings of the current study and performance measurement theory. The study extents the prior research regarding the impacts of performance measurement and the factors that have a positive effect on operative level performance and performance measurement. The results indicate that under suitable circumstances, performance measurement has positive impacts on different aspects of management, leadership, and the quality of working life. The results reveal that for example the perception of the employees and the management of the impacts of performance measurement on leadership style differ considerably. Furthermore, the fragmented literature has been reorganised into six factors that facilitate and improve the performance of the operations and employees, and the use of performance measurement at the operative level of an organisation. Regarding the managerial implications of the study, managers who operate around performance measurement can utilise the framework for example by putting the different phases of the framework into practice.

Cost estimation framework for modular product

Cost estimation is an important, but challenging process when designing a new product or a feature of it, verifying the product prices given by suppliers or planning a cost saving actions of existing products. It is even more challenging when the product is highly modular, not a bulk product. In general, cost estimation techniques can be divided into two main groups - qualitative and quantitative techniques - which can further be classified into more detailed methods. Generally, qualitative techniques are preferable when comparing alternatives and quantitative techniques when cost relationships can be found. The main objective of this thesis was to develop a method on how to estimate costs of internally manufactured and commercial elevator landing doors. Because of the challenging product structure, the proposed cost estimation framework is developed under three different levels based on past cost information available. The framework consists of features from both qualitative and quantitative cost estimation techniques. The starting point for the whole cost estimation process is an unambiguous, hierarchical product structure so that the product can be classified into controllable parts and is then easier to handle. Those controllable parts can then be compared to existing past cost knowledge of similar parts and create as accurate cost estimates as possible by that way.

Theoretical background for market emergence framework : Case: Electricity Distribution Industry

Both the competitive environment and the internal structure of an industrial organization are typically included in the processes which describe the strategic management processes of the firm, but less attention has been paid to the interdependence between these views. Therefore, this research focuses on explaining the particular conditions of an industry change, which lead managers to realign the firm in respect of its environment for generating competitive advantage. The research question that directs the development of the theoretical framework is: Why do firms outsource some of their functions? The three general stages of the analysis are related to the following research topics: (i) understanding forces that shape the industry, (ii) estimating the impacts of transforming customer preferences, rivalry, and changing capability bases on the relevance of existing assets and activities, and emergence of new business models, and (iii) developing optional structures for future value chains and understanding general boundaries for market emergence. The defined research setting contributes to the managerial research questions “Why do firms reorganize their value chains?”, “Why and how are decisions made?” Combining Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and Resource-Based View (RBV) within an integrated framework makes it possible to evaluate the two dimensions of a company’s resources, namely the strategic value and transferability. The final decision of restructuring will be made based on an analysis of the actual business potential of the outsourcing, where benefits and risks are evaluated. The firm focuses on the risk of opportunism, hold-up problems, pricing, and opportunities to reach a complete contract, and finally on the direct benefits and risks for financial performance. The supplier analyzes the business potential of an activity outside the specific customer, the amount of customer-specific investments, the service provider’s competitive position, abilities to revenue gains in generic segments, and long-term dependence on the customer.